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A Beech Mountain Police officer has resigned and been arrested after an investigation by the Avery County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Kevin Frye said his department received a complaint concerning the possible illegal activity on the part of Beech Mountain Police Officer Josh Hernandez,
Frye saying he forwarded the matter to Chief Jerry Turbyfill, of the Beech Mountain Police Department. Frye said that Chief Turbyfill initiated an internal investigation into the matter, and when it became obvious that there was some validity to the complaint, Chief Turbyfill contacted the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate the case further. After a brief investigation by the S.B.I., Officer Hernandez was relieved of his duties with the police department, and turned himself in to face a felony charge of Conspiracy to Obtain a Controlled Substance. Hernandez was released on an unsecured bond of $25,000. Chief Turbyfill said he could not comment publicly on personnel issues, but did state that Joshua Hernandez had a reputation as a good man and fine officer with an unblemished career to this point. Chief Turbyfill and Sheriff Frye both agreed that in law enforcement, not only are officers sworn to protect the public, but must also police themselves even more closely than the police the public